PKL 9: Dabang Delhi, Jaipur Pink Panthers, Haryana Steelers picked up important wins

Gujarat Giants vs Dabang Delhi

The Dabang Delhi K.C. continued their great form as they defeated Gujarat Giants 50-47 in the vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 9 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday. The Gujarat Giants put up a spirited fight in the final minutes of the match, but the Delhi players held their nerve and walked off the mat as winners of the match in the end. 

Sonu effected a SUPER RAID in the opening minutes of the match and helped the Giants inch ahead. Moments later, the Gujarat side inflicted an ALL OUT and took a massive lead at 10-3 in the 5th minute. However, Naveen Kumar and Ashu Malik picked up touch points and kept Delhi in the game at 8-11. Soon after, Naveen effected another raid and reduced the Giants to just two members on the mat. The Delhi side kept raging on and inflicted an ALL OUT in the 12th minute, but the Giants still held the lead at 15-14.

Parteek Dhaiya pulled off a magnificent raid and helped the Gujarat side stay in the lead at 18-16. Dhaiya continued to showcase top form as the Giants kept forging ahead. However, Vijay Malik effected a raid and Sandeep Dhull tackled Parteek Dhaiya as the two sides went into half-time locked at 21-21.

https://youtu.be/lEsCboUIwSw

Ashu Malik carried out a fabulous multi-point raid in the opening minutes of the second half as the Delhi side roared into the lead at 25-21. Moments later, the Dabang Delhi K.C. inflicted an ALL OUT to extend their lead further at 30-22 in the 23rd minute. Ashu continued to pick up touch points as the Delhi side earned a massive lead at 35-23. Thereafter, the team from the capital city tackled Dhaiya to carry out another ALL OUT and attained a stronghold of the match at 41-29.

Gujarat's Mahendra Rajput effected a SUPER RAID, catching out Amit Hooda, Vijay Malik and Vishal, but Delhi still held a comfortable lead at 46-38 in the 36th minute. However, Dhaiya didn't let the Giants lose hope as he picked up a multi-point raid and reduced the Delhi side to just one member on the mat. Moments later, the Giants inflicted an ALL OUT and reduced the gap between the two sides considerably at 43-48. However, it was too big a mountain to climb for the Giants as the Delhi side closed out a narrow victory.

Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Tamil Thalaivas

Arjun Deshwal and Ankush's brilliant performances at two ends of the mat propelled the Jaipur Pink Panthers to an emphatic win over the Tamil Thalaivas in the vivo Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) Season 9 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday. Deshwal (12 points), V Ajith (9 points) and Ankush (5 points) completed a 41-26 rout that lifted them to second place on the table.  

Jaipur's successes this season have been on the foundations set by Arjun Deshwal, V Ajith and Rahul Chaudhari and the trio were prolific here too, racking up quick points early in the game to help the Pink Panthers take an early lead. The quick start unnerved the Thalaivas and soon enough they were staring at an all out. It took a SUPER TACKLE by Himanshu to curb the momentum. The Pink Panthers inflicted their first ALL OUT with 10 minutes gone, to surge into a 14-8 lead.

Deshwal and Ajith's raiding prowess was only one end of the battle. At the other end, the Jaipur defence were rock solid facing Narender, allowing the young raider just a single point in the entire half from his eight raids. The Pink Panthers went into the break leading 20-13.Much like in the first period, the Pink Panthers kicked off strong in the early parts of the second half and had the Thalaivas treading thin ice again.

https://youtu.be/tzKfqeqROTE

SUPER TACKLE by Himanshu on Deshwal to avoid a second all out. Buoyed by the resistance,  the Thalaivas rallied, the raider-defender combination of Ajinkya Pawar and Himanshu chipping away at the lead slowly.

The resurgence didn't last too long though, and with Deshwal back on he mat, the Pink Panthers inflicted a second ALL OUT to extend into a 33-23 lead. From there, the Pink Panthers never dropped their intensity, in the end getting an emphatic victory to move to second on the table.

Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates

The Haryana Steelers put up a clinical performance, especially in the second half, to defeat Patna Pirates 33-23 at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday. Raider Manjeet emerged as the best player for Haryana with 10 points, while raider Meetu Sharma chipped in with 8 points in the game.

Sachin and Rohit Gulia picked up a few raid points as the Pirates surged into the lead at 5-2 in the 5th minute. Moments later, Sachin caught Jaideep Dahiya and reduced the Steelers to just two members on the mat. But Meetu Sharma effected a couple of raids and kept the Haryana side in the game at 5-7. The Steelers tackled Sachin and levelled the scores at 7-7 in the 11th minute. Thereafter, the two sides kept trading points and were locked at 10-10 in the 17th minute. While Manjeet and Meetu picked up raid points for the Steelers, Gulia kept scoring raid points from the other end as the scoreline read 12-12 at the end of the first half.

Sajin C tackled Meetu and Rohit Gulia caught Manjeet in the opening minutes of the second half as the Pirates inched ahead at 16-12. However, the Steelers tackled Gulia in the 27th minute and stayed in the game at 14-16. Meetu tried to equalize the score for the Steelers, but Mohammadreza Shadloui Chiyaneh tackled him as the Pirates continued to stay in the lead at 17-15. However, Manjeet pulled off a SUPER RAID in the 33rd minute and helped his team level the scores at 19-19. Moments later, the Steelers inflicted an ALL OUT and took the lead at 23-21. Manjeet carried out another multi-point raid as the Haryana side attained a four-point lead at 25-21 in the 37th minute. The Steelers inflicted another ALL OUT just before the final whistle and closed out a comprehensive victory.

Award Winners of the Night:

Match 1: Gujarat Giants vs Dabang Delhi K.C.

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Parteek Dhaiya (Gujarat Giants)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Vijay Malik (Dabang Delhi K.C.)

Moment of the Match - Ashu Malik (Dabang Delhi K.C.)

Match 2: Jaipur Pink Panthers vs Tamil Thalaivas

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - V Ajith (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Ankush (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Moment of the Match - Sahul Kumar (Jaipur Pink Panthers)

Match 3: Haryana Steelers vs Patna Pirates

vivo Perfect Player of the Match - Manjeet (Haryana Steelers)

Dream 11 Gamechanger of the Match - Meetu (Haryana Steelers)

Moment of the Match - Manjeet (Haryana Steelers)